XM1 Universal blue label with The Man’s signature 2 2

[Bluemedgroup]

I picked up this book a few weeks ago.  I’ve got a upgrade copy so I’m looking to get the most value out of this here book when I sell.  Was wondering your opinions wether I would get more value by sending it to the other guys for signature verification and maybe a higher grade because I believe CGC deducts for writing on the cover?

[SuperBird]

Does the other guy do signature verification without verification? If so, then yes, do the other guy, then resubmit to CGC for hopefully a yellow label. 

Edited May 17, 2021 by SuperBird

[silverseeker]

2 hours ago, SuperBird said:

Does the other guy do signature verification without verification? If so, then yes, do the other guy, then resubmit to CGC for hopefully a yellow label. 

I don't think CGC will recognize signature verification done by the other guy and grant the book a yellow label, so it'll need to remain in the other guy's slab.

[SuperBird]

26 minutes ago, silverseeker said:

I don't think CGC will recognize signature verification done by the other guy and grant the book a yellow label, so it'll need to remain in the other guy's slab.

Well, that's not worth it IMO. The other guy's slabs sell at a discount. 

[Lightning55]

1 hour ago, SuperBird said:

Well, that's not worth it IMO. The other guy's slabs sell at a discount. 

While I believe that the "other guy's slabs" do sell lower a majority of the time, it depends on the book.  This could be one of those unique circumstances.  If graded higher by the other guy due to NOT deducting for the signature, and ADDING some value because it IS an authentic signature, that would be hard to beat.

That is all contingent on the signature passing authentication, and if it does indeed grade higher there.

[Lightning55]

1 hour ago, silverseeker said:

I don't think CGC will recognize signature verification done by the other guy and grant the book a yellow label, so it'll need to remain in the other guy's slab.

This is true.  Only CGC witnessed comics can be CGC Signature Series.

[Pantodude]

Just some thoughts FWIW.  You have a book that might have been a CGC yellow 4.5/5.0 book had CGC witnessed the signature.   With CGC, your options appear to be (1) do nothing and have a reduced 4.0 grade with a blue label after deducting for the sig on front cover,  or (2) have them reslab for a full 4.5/5.0 grade but with a green/qualified label due to the sig on the front cover.   At the Other Guy, the possiblity is a full 4.5/5.0 pink label with a verified signature (b/c that sig looks legit).   

As for CGC options, some folks would recommend blue over green label under these circumstances, especially since either way the label itself will note the "Stan Lee written in marker on cover."   Going with the blue 4.0 as is, I think enough signature-seeking buyers will treat the sig as legit and be willing to pay a premium for this blue 4.0 compared to other, reglar blue 4.0s (w/o a marking that looks like a sig).  But in that case, the sale (including that premium) might be just a few bucks ($100?  $200? more?) above a regular 4.0 blue price and thus remain below what a CGC yellow label 4.5/5.0 would have fetched, let alone below what a regular blue 4.5 fetches.  So now consider the Other Guy.  

If you manage a 5.0 or even 4.5 pink label w/ verified sig with the Other Guy, that grade bump might more than make up for whatever small reduction (sometimes none, but often 5-10% at most?) in relative valuations btwn CGC and the Other Guy's slabs, especially if there is some value to the Other Guy's sig verification (I think there is!).  In today's market, getting an Other Guy 5.0 or 4.5 pink label could fetch a lot more $ than a CGC blue 4.0 (even after including a small premium for the sig). 

Only if you think there is too high a risk that the Other Guy slab comes back 4.0 pink would it clearly not seem worth it, due to transaction costs alone.     But decide for yourself, especially what the universal grade would have been if the cover did not have the sig.  That might be the most important consideration.  

Now forget everything I said above.  There is a chance that folks in the know realize this blue 4.0 would otherwise have been a 4.5 or 5.0 yellow label.  If a sig-seeking buyer believes that, you might be able to fetch pretty close to somewhere between blue yellow 4.0 and 4.5 price, or even 4.5 price if the book looks like a 5.0?    Food for thought.  

 

Edited May 18, 2021 by Pantodude
typo

[Bluemedgroup]

1 hour ago, Pantodude said:

Just some thoughts FWIW.  You have a book that might have been a CGC yellow 4.5/5.0 book had CGC witnessed the signature.   With CGC, your options appear to be (1) do nothing and have a reduced 4.0 grade with a blue label after deducting for the sig on front cover,  or (2) have them reslab for a full 4.5/5.0 grade but with a green/qualified label due to the sig on the front cover.   At the Other Guy, the possiblity is a full 4.5/5.0 pink label with a verified signature (b/c that sig looks legit).   

As for CGC options, some folks would recommend blue over green label under these circumstances, especially since either way the label itself will note the "Stan Lee written in marker on cover."   Going with the blue 4.0 as is, I think enough signature-seeking buyers will treat the sig as legit and be willing to pay a premium for this blue 4.0 compared to other, reglar blue 4.0s (w/o a marking that looks like a sig).  But in that case, the sale (including that premium) might be just a few bucks ($100?  $200? more?) above a regular 4.0 blue price and thus remain below what a CGC yellow label 4.5/5.0 would have fetched, let alone below what a regular blue 4.5 fetches.  So now consider the Other Guy.  

If you manage a 5.0 or even 4.5 pink label w/ verified sig with the Other Guy, that grade bump might more than make up for whatever small reduction (sometimes none, but often 5-10% at most?) in relative valuations btwn CGC and the Other Guy's slabs, especially if there is some value to the Other Guy's sig verification (I think there is!).  In today's market, getting an Other Guy 5.0 or 4.5 pink label could fetch more $ than a CGC blue 4.0 (even after including a small premium for the sig). 

Only if you think there is too high a righ that the Other Guy slab comes back 4.0 pink would it clearly not seem worth it, due to transaction costs alone.     But decide for yourself, especially what the universal grade would have been if the cover did not have the sig.  That might be the most important consideration.  

Now forget everything I said above.  There is a chance that folks in the know realize this blue 4.0 would otherwise have been a 4.5 or 5.0 yellow label.  If a sig-seeking buyer believes that, you might be able to fetch pretty close to somewhere between blue 4.0 and 4.5 price, or even 4.5 price if the book looks like a 5.0?    Food for thought.  

 

Fantastic and thorough response.  I love how after all of that was “now forget everything I said above” LOL

[Bluemedgroup]

Only thing is I definitely laid more than $200 more than “regular” universal 4.0”s.  Considering I’m positive that Is authentic Stan sig.  

[Pantodude]

2 minutes ago, Bluemedgroup said:

Only thing is I definitely laid more than $200 more than “regular” universal 4.0”s.  Considering I’m positive that Is authentic Stan sig.  

Ah, I have a boo boo in my response.  What I meant to end with was that folks who collect sig books and understand how the sig premium works could very well (as in happily) value the book at YELLOW 4.5, not blue 4.5.  So in other words, if you plan on selling, hopefully you have enough time to try to sell the book at CGC yellow label 4.5 price.   If you can't find takers, then your options could be as outlined above.  GLWT!  

[SpideyFein]

12 minutes ago, Bluemedgroup said:

Only thing is I definitely laid more than $200 more than “regular” universal 4.0”s.  Considering I’m positive that Is authentic Stan sig.  

The book has a lot going for it without the sig including presentation, colors, pq, older label, and then you could add the well placed, clean looking sig, along with it being 99% legit. I've found that CGC does not usually write "Stan Lee" written on cover or identify the name of a person as such unless they believe it is indeed a true sig. This could of course be debated, but it's usually the case. What I mean is if it was one of those sloppy, faked Stan sigs I think they would have written "name written on cover." It also depends on when it was graded, by who, etc. As an SS guy, I would love to buy this at a discounted SS price. I think this could surely fetch a premium due to the sig and other factors. Will it fetch a 4.5 blue price, or full 4.0 SS price, I don't know. The market and Sig collectors are finicky about their books. It's a cool book that I would leave in the CGC slab all day if you want to maximize value. Good luck with it. Pantodude had a great analysis as well. 

[innocuous]

The market is still hot. Leave it as is, post it on Ebay with a 6.0 price.